[URBAN NOTE] On the closure of Ontario Place

[rfmcdonald]

News that Ontario Place, a waterfront entertainment complex, is set to close for five years as part of a general revamp actually hasn't gotten much reaction from my Facebook friends. I'm not overly surprised myself, since I've never felt pulled to the complex in my eight years in Toronto, passing by only once as part of a longer walk on that part of the waterfront and being impressed by the state of decrepitude. I'm surprised it's stayed open this long.

"Ontario Place has been a drain on the government treasury for many years … it’s no longer sustainable," [Tourism Minister Michael Chan] said during a news conference at the legislature.

To that end, the government will close the portions of the park that are not generating revenue, while it tries to redevelop the site over the next five years.

Chan said the Cinesphere, as well as the water park and amusement rides, will be among the parts of Ontario Place to close.

The Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, the Atlantis Pavilion, the marina and the parking lot will remain open.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, who was also present at the news conference, said the province would save $20 million a year by closing down the money-losing attractions.

[. . .]

The government has appointed former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory to head the advisory panel that will look at ways to make Ontario Place into a popular tourist destination once again.

The panel is due to report back to the government in the spring.

Tory said the panel will be able to make use of a number of studies that have already been completed, when reviewing the options for revamping the park.

"There's been I think 11 studies and that's probably about nine more than there needed to be, and now it's time to act and get on with doing something," said Tory, who was not at the press conference at Queen’s Park.

"I want it to be excellent, a people place, something that will help to create jobs and enrich the cultural and social fabric of Toronto and takes advantage of what is a jewel of a location."

I'm reminded of how I was saddened back in 2005 by the closure of Rainbow Valley, a children-oriented amusement park in Cavendish in the heart of Prince Edward Island's North Shore tourist district that shut down for want of traffic. Apparently, tourism on Prince Edward Island has moved away from the family-trip model geared towards amusement parks towards higher-value-added tourism, directed at points of cultural or ecological interest.

What will be made of Ontario Place?

And, does anyone reading this have any memories of the complex?